Florida’s tourism industry continues to thrive, with new data indicating a record number of visitors during the second quarter of 2025. According to Visit Florida, approximately 34.435 million travelers visited the state between April 1 and June 30, an increase from 34.279 million during the same timeframe in 2024. Despite this growth, the state faces a significant decline in visitors from Canada, which poses a challenge for future tourism strategies.
U.S. travelers accounted for the majority of these visitors, totaling 31.499 million, or 91.5% of the total. This number shows a slight increase compared to the 31.419 million U.S. visitors recorded in the second quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, overseas travel to Florida also rose, with an estimated 2.295 million international visitors, representing an 11.4% increase from the same period in 2024.
Despite these positive trends, Canadian tourism is experiencing a notable downturn. The estimated 640,000 Canadian visitors during this quarter marks a dramatic 20% drop compared to 2024. Bryan Griffin, President and CEO of Visit Florida, addressed the Executive Committee on Monday, highlighting that while the decline in Canadian travelers is concerning, Florida is seeing an influx of visitors from other regions, particularly Brazil.
Griffin stated, “I know the nation is seeing some Canadian visitors not traveling at the moment, but Florida actually is seeing an increase in visitors from other places, including Brazil, which I think is part of that overseas visitation increase.” The agency is actively monitoring these trends, seeking to capitalize on the growing numbers from other international markets.
The challenges faced by Florida’s tourism sector have been exacerbated by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second quarter of 2025, overseas travelers comprised 6.7% of the total visitor count, while Canadians represented about 1.9% . In contrast, pre-pandemic figures from 2019 showed that overseas visitors accounted for 7.4% of Florida’s total visitors, with Canadians making up approximately 3.11% .
Recent controversies, including U.S. tariffs and political rhetoric regarding Canada, may be contributing to this decline. Statistics Canada reported on August 11 that preliminary data indicated a 15.6% decrease in international arrivals to Canada in July 2025 compared to July 2024, marking six consecutive months of decline. Specifically, car travel from the U.S. to Canada fell by 36.9% , while air travel decreased by 25.8% .
In the first half of 2025, Florida attracted approximately 75.394 million tourists, slightly down by 0.1% from the same period in 2024. This decline followed a revision in the first-quarter visitor numbers, which were adjusted to 40.959 million from an earlier estimate of 41.193 million.
Moving forward, Florida’s 2025-2026 budget, which took effect on July 1, includes $80 million for Visit Florida, maintaining the same level of funding as in the previous fiscal year. The state remains committed to revitalizing its tourism sector and addressing the shifts in visitor demographics as it seeks to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and changing international dynamics.
